[Gocamino] Fwd: [Santiagobis] Somport in late November

[Donald Schell]

Claire,

When my wife and I crossed Somport in May of 2000 it was snowing  
lightly on the way up, there was snow on the ground (about three or  
four inches deep) and we walked through heavy cold rain on the way  
down.  It was one of the most joyful and remarkable pieces of the  
Camino I've ever experienced.  I was also very glad we had good wet  
weather gear (and by good I mean both effective and light and  
including leggings to keep the water running down our legs from going  
into the boots).

The snow and rain slowed us down enough that Canfranc was as far as  
we got (starting at the last bus stop on the French side of the pass  
and making the astonishingly beautiful hike up).  We found an  
albergue of a sort in Canfranc but it was a privately run place with  
a fee that was about half what a hotel would have been.  The walk  
from Canfranc to Jaca, especially the first part of it reminded me a  
lot of the Colorado Rockies (seen from the bottom of a river  
canyon).  Awesome, powerful mountains.

Don't miss the museum of Romanesque art/frescoes attached to the  
Cathedral in Jaca.  It's the largest such museum except for the one  
in Barcelona (also worth seeing but a long ways away).  And as you  
walk on from Jaca you'll pass the Ermitas from which the frescoes  
were taken to save them.

love,
donald

On Oct 22, 2007, at 9:06 AM, Robert Spenger wrote:

>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Robert Spenger <rspenger at earthlink.net>
> Date: October 22, 2007 9:02:48 AM PDT
> To: Santiagobis at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Santiagobis] Somport in late November
>
> Claire,
>
> You should be able to get a credential in Jaca, which would be your
> normal first stop after Somport. When I stopped there to get mine
> stamped, it was already almost full, so the priest gave me a new one.
> (It was one left from the year before and had 19_ _ printed in it and
> this was in the year 2000. I just crossed out the 19, wrote in 20 and
> had no problem with it.)
>
> As far as Somport itself is concerned, it was deserted when I walked
> through it, but that has probably changed in the last 7 years. By
> November and December, the ski resort just a little way down the hill
> from Somport should be going full blast. It, too, looked to be rather
> deserted when I went by it in May of 2000. I didn't see it up close,
> it was a mile or so off the road that I walked down. The first town
> after Somport, Canfranc Estación was very busy with lots of tourists
> and summer hikers. There is reported to be a pilgrim's albergue there
> but I didn't see it. I just grabbed a place at the first hotel that I
> came to. It seems likely that the albergue would have credentials
> available.
>
> Bob S.
>
>
> On Oct 22, 2007, at 6:41 AM, claire bangasser wrote:
> One challenge will be to find albergues. Quite a few seem closed.
> And then of course, there is the credential. Does someone know if I
> can get a credential in Somport when I get there or should I get one
> beforehand?
> Any way, I'd love advice!
> Thanks, claire
> .
>
> __,_._,___
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Gocamino mailing list
> Gocamino at oakapple.net
> http://mailman.oakapple.net/mailman/listinfo/gocamino